Tuesday, November 29, 2016

SCAN Symposium 2017

We have been working hard to put together another outstanding Symposium for our members and friends and now we are excited to announce we are open for business!
Looking to register as an attendee? Or to exhibit? Submit a poster session proposal? A graduate student research grant proposal? Or event nominate another SCAN member for an award? Now is the time!

SYNCING NUTRITION SCIENCE & PRACTICE

Advancing Knowledge & Building Skills
March 31 - April 2
2017


Click here for attendee information and registration.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Pumpkin Spice My Life, The Healthy Way

Oh yes! It’s that time of the year again. Before the Halloween costumes and candy, before the Christmas music on the radio, before the New Years resolutions, comes the obsession with the pumpkin spice flavor. The endless pictures of college, sorority girls posting pictures with their Starbucks PSL on Instagram is in mid-season by now. Yes, I’m just as guilty of posting a Starbucks cup of coffee accompanied by a corny, motivational quote. Instead of rolling your eyes or shunning the pumpkin spice craze that occurs every year, we need to embrace it! Yes, I said it, join the pumpkin spice movement.  

If you’re in the minority and aren’t one of the millions of people with an obsession of pumpkin spice, you have to admit, nothing pairs better than fall weather and pumpkin. Therefore, below are some healthy pumpkin recipes to help everyone stay committed to those 2016 New Years resolutions we made just a mere eight months ago!

Recipes:

Healthiest Pumpkin Pie. Ever.

Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Pumpkin Granola Bread

Curry Pumpkin and Walnut Soup

Pumpkin Spice Chai Tea

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins (or Bread) of Deliciousness

No Bake Pumpkin Pie Tarts


--
Allison Bokenkotter RD, LD is a Cincinnati based dietitian and is the membership chair elect for the Greater Cincinnati Area Dietetic Association.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Whey Not?

We’ve all seen it before. In our local grocery store, supplement store, or even the convenient store down the street. An isle of eye-popping, flashy, enormous jars of whey protein powder. To many people, the gaudy, Arnold Schwarzenegger protein powders can be a turn off, however, I would urge people to give it a second look. After all, whey protein has tremendous benefits for are health plus it can easily be incorporate to every day living.

Before we dig any deeper in this article, I want to clarify that I won’t be discussing the details about certain ingredients in protein powders or what protein powders are better than others. That’s a whole topic in itself. Also, I want to point out that I’m not encouraging the replacement of food with any supplements (protein powders) but rather using whey protein in addition to food.

What exactly is whey? Great question. To put it simply, it comes from the dairy produced by cows. Special enzymes are added to milk to form curds during the cheese making process and what is left behind is liquid whey. The liquid whey is pasteurized, filtered and dried into a powder. This powder is a high quality protein source that is fast acting, easily digested and rapidly absorbed. Natural whey is said to have a neutral flavor but of course we’ve all seen the cinnamon bun or chicken and waffle flavored whey protein in the stores.

I know what you’re thinking, why the push for whey protein? I thought you’d never ask! According to multiple evidenced-based research studies, whey protein promotes satiety, maximizes muscle growth and recovery with resistance training, helps maintain a healthy weight and muscle mass as you age. A recent webinar sponsored by the National Dairy Council and U.S. Dairy Export Council now recommend a minimum of 1 gm of protein per day for healthy, active individuals (19-70 years old) versus the previous minimal intake of 0.8gm of protein per day (19-70 years old). Also keep in mind that a body of evidence supports that evenly distributing protein consumption throughout the day rather than consuming protein needs at one meal, can stimulate a greater 24-hour protein anabolic response.  Now that science has backed us up, let take a look at some ways we can easily incorporate whey protein into our every day lives.

Whey protein is such a versatile ingredient. While most of us think about adding whey to our smoothies, I encourage you to think outside the “scoop” (corny saying, I know).

Breakfast Ideas: Add a scoop – oatmeal, overnight oats, muffins, or pancakes, French toast (anything that needs baking), ice coffee.

Lunch & Dinner Ideas: Add a scoop – any sauce or veggie dip, pizza crust, mashed potatoes, or creamy soups.
For recipe details:


As always, thanks for reading!

Alli Bokenkotter, RD, LD

Sources:





Monday, November 7, 2016

Alcohol Consumption and the Athlete

Alcohol has been shown to make up to 5% of an athlete’s calorie intake, and consumption in any volume can interfere with performance, recovery, muscle building, vitamin function, and hydration. As an athlete, your goal is to improve performance. Here are some important factors that are affected when alcohol is involved:
·         Hydration
o    Alcohol can dehydrate your body; altering your body’s ability to regulate its temperature. A small change in body temperature will affect your reaction time, motor skills, balance, and even your memory during performance.
·         Recovery
o    Alcohol can cause muscle cramps, pain, and hypoglycemia. Having sufficient glucose allows your muscles to heal and stimulate growth after a workout. Recuperation time is vital in making sure your body is able to rejuvenate itself post-workout.
·         Growth hormone (GH)
o    Plays a huge role in recovery. This is an important hormone that stimulates cell and bone growth and development. GH is secreted within the first few hours during sleep, but if you’re not sleeping well or getting enough sleep, this process is disrupted. Alcohol often disrupts sleep cycles, thus affecting growth hormone and therefore, cell development and overall performance.
·         Calcium (Ca) and vitamin A
o    Alcohol inhibits absorption of these vitamins. Ca is stored in your bones, teeth, and in your bloodstream. A lack in either vitamin D or Ca can lead to Osteoporosis, Liver disease, and increased risk of fractures. Your bones need to be strong and healthy in order to perform. If you have brittle bones, you’re at risk of fractures and possibly ending your career as an athlete.
·         Calorically

o    There are 7 kilocalories (kcals) per gram in alcohol. Anywhere from 7-14 drinks per week can tack on an easy 600-1800 extra calories which can lead to a long-term weight gain. Here’s a table to show the calorie intake of different drinks.

Drink
Calories
12oz beer
135-145
12oz Light Beer
100
3.5oz Red or White Wine
70-75
6oz Martini
143
0.5 oz Hard Liquor
98
10oz Margarita
550
Pina Colada
490-520
Long Island Iced Tea
530
Rum and Coke
160
Vodka and Cranberry Juice
170-175


When it comes down to it, alcohol doesn’t have any nutritional benefit when it comes to performance. If you want to feel your best and perform your best, staying away from alcohol is encouraged. Being an athlete means you need to treat your body like the temple that it is. So next time you’re out with friends or encouraged to have a drink before a game, think twice.




Sources

"Alcohol Alert." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 26.352 (1994): n. pag. Web.
Emanuele, Mary Ann, and Nicholas Emanuele. "Alcohol and the Male Reproductive System." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
Vella, Luke D., and David Cameron-Smith. "Alcohol, Athletic Performance and Recovery." Nutrients 2.8 (2010): 781-89. Web.
Weaver, Cameron C., Matthew P. Martens, Jennifer M. Cadigan, Stephanie K. Takamatsu, Hayley R. Treloar, and Eric R. Pedersen. "Sport-related Achievement Motivation and Alcohol Outcomes: An Athlete-specific Risk Factor among Intercollegiate Athletes." Addictive Behaviors 38.12 (2013): 2930-936. Web.


Bio: Kristen Peterson is a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist currently working in nutrition counseling and studying to become a Certified Personal Trainer. She aspires to work with weight loss and help clients reach their goals. She also maintains a personal blog filled with nutrition information and healthy, tasty recipes for anyone who’d like to try new foods: www.kpcreations.com


Thursday, November 3, 2016

November SCAN Twitter Chat, Post-FNCE Wrap Up

It's time for another #SCANchat, happening tonight night (Thurs. November 1st) at 8 pm ET on Twitter.  Catch us on @SCANdpg!